Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday, seeking to strengthen European support, as US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about a deal to end Russia's war against Ukraine, AFP reports, writes UNN.
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American and Ukrainian negotiators held several hours of talks in Florida on Sunday, which both sides called "productive," on a plan that Washington wants to form the basis of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader has regularly visited Paris since February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion – this latest visit is scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM local time (11:00 AM Kyiv time), the publication writes.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said in comments to La Tribune Dimanche on Sunday that the meeting aims to "move the negotiations forward."
"Peace is achievable if Vladimir Putin abandons his delusional hope of restoring the Soviet Empire by first subjugating Ukraine," Barrot added.
Washington, the publication notes, put forward an initial 28-point proposal to end the war, developed without the participation of Ukraine's European allies and deemed too close a reflection of Moscow's maximalist demands regarding Ukrainian territory. After talks in Geneva just over a week ago, the United States updated the initial plan after criticism from Ukraine and Europe, but its current content remains unclear.
US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to arrive in Moscow for further talks "and is expected to discuss Ukraine with Putin on Tuesday," the publication writes.
The talks in Florida were called "productive" by both Ukrainian and American negotiators, but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said more work was needed, and a source in the Kyiv delegation called the talks "not easy," the publication notes.
However, Trump was optimistic, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: "I think there's a good chance we can make a deal."
He also mentioned the political turbulence in Kyiv, which saw Zelenskyy dismiss Andriy Yermak, head of the Presidential Office and chief negotiator, last week after a corruption scandal in the energy sector that worried Western allies, the publication indicates.
"Ukraine has some difficult small problems," Trump said.
Instead, the Kyiv delegation at the Florida talks was led by Ukrainian Security Council Secretary Rustem Umerov. He wrote on social media that he had informed Zelenskyy of the "significant progress" made.
"It is important that there is constructiveness in the conversation, and all issues at the meetings were discussed frankly and aimed at ensuring Ukraine's sovereignty and national interests," Zelenskyy wrote on social media after the talks.
Rubio told reporters that the talks in Florida were "very productive," but "there's still more work to be done."
"There are a lot of moving parts here, and obviously there's another party involved here that will have to be part of the equation, and that will continue later this week when Mr. Witkoff goes to Moscow," Rubio said.
Ahead of the meeting with Macron, Zelenskyy said on social media that he had informed Finnish President Alexander Stubb, considered an influential player due to his warm relations with Trump, about "the signals we received from the American side." He also spoke separately with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, saying that "these are important days, and much can change."